PFD report

Joseph Samuel WALSH · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 13 Jan 2025•West Yorkshire (Western)

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
2

Raised in this report

Recipients
2

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 2 recipients

Stated actions
3

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised2

  1. Lack of legal licence restrictions for young and/or newly qualified drivers
    Part of recurring concern: Inadequate driver licensing controls for road safety
  2. Vehicle licensing regime permitting the carrying of young persons as passengers in these circumstances
    Part of recurring concern: Inadequate driver licensing controls for road safetyPart of recurring concern: Insufficient controls on young and newly qualified drivers carrying young passengers
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.1

  1. Position

    Graduated Driving Licences are not currently being considered, although other options to address young-driver risk are being explored.

    Stated by Department for TransportNo action considered necessaryThe respondent said that no further action was needed.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Lack of legal licence restrictions for young and/or newly qualified drivers

Wider context from the report

“Joseph was aged 18 at the time of his death following the collision and had passed his driving test in May 2023. This was five months prior to the collision. At the time of the collision, he was legally carrying 5 young friends. Currently there are no legal restrictions upon the licences of young and /or newly qualified drivers and the current vehicle licensing regime permits the carrying of young persons as passengers in circumstances such as these Young drivers may be more likely to be involved in a collision with similar aged passengers in the car. I would ask you to consider the appropriateness of reviewing the current provisions since I am concerned that there will be further like tragic deaths. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Inadequate driver licensing controls for road safety.

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Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Vehicle licensing regime permitting the carrying of young persons as passengers in these circumstances

Wider context from the report

“Joseph was aged 18 at the time of his death following the collision and had passed his driving test in May 2023. This was five months prior to the collision. At the time of the collision, he was legally carrying 5 young friends. Currently there are no legal restrictions upon the licences of young and /or newly qualified drivers and the current vehicle licensing regime permits the carrying of young persons as passengers in circumstances such as these Young drivers may be more likely to be involved in a collision with similar aged passengers in the car. I would ask you to consider the appropriateness of reviewing the current provisions since I am concerned that there will be further like tragic deaths. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Inadequate driver licensing controls for road safety; Insufficient controls on young and newly qualified drivers carrying young passengers.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Graduated Driving Licences are not currently being considered, although other options to address young-driver risk are being explored.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Whilst we are not considering Graduated Driving Licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads. As work progresses on the new road safety strategy, we are exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers.”

Source location

Response from Department of Transport
Page 2 · response
Published 15 January 2025

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Other statements in published responses

These actions and other statements could not be clearly connected to one concern in this report.

Recipient-stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.3

  1. 1

    Consider further policy options concerning drink- and drug-driving offences.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 15 January 2025.
  2. 2

    Develop the new road safety strategy.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 15 January 2025.
  3. 3

    Explore options to address the root causes of young-driver collisions without unfairly penalising young drivers.

    Stated by Department for TransportStated in progressThe respondent said that this action was in progress when they made their response on 15 January 2025.

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Consider further policy options concerning drink- and drug-driving offences.

Verbatim wording from the response

“I am also aware that drug and alcohol use was a factor in this collision. There are already strict penalties in place for those who are caught driving under the influence of drink or drugs. Nevertheless, we are considering further policy options with regard to motoring offences.”

Source location

Response from Department of Transport
Page 2 · response
Published 15 January 2025

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Develop the new road safety strategy.

Verbatim wording from the response

“I want to assure you that improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. Too many people are killed and seriously injured in road traffic collisions, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users. My Department is developing our road safety strategy and will set out more details in due course.”

Source location

Response from Department of Transport
Page 1 · response
Published 15 January 2025

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Explore options to address the root causes of young-driver collisions without unfairly penalising young drivers.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Whilst we are not considering Graduated Driving Licences, we absolutely recognise that young people are disproportionately victims of tragic incidents on our roads. As work progresses on the new road safety strategy, we are exploring options to tackle the root causes of this without unfairly penalising young drivers.”

Source location

Response from Department of Transport
Page 2 · response
Published 15 January 2025

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026